


Till Our Hearts Beat as One

by Zed_Zalias



Series: Checkmate [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Birthday Sex, Committed Relationship, Consensual Kink, Consent, Emotional Sex, Enthusiastic Consent, Established Relationship, Explicit Consent, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Healthy Relationships, Light Dom/sub, M/M, very light
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:21:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23852236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zed_Zalias/pseuds/Zed_Zalias
Summary: Gladion and Sun have been together for just over a year now, and they plan on being together for many years more. Now that they've cheated death a half-dozen times, now that they've rescued Lillie, now that Lusamine has begun to heal, the magnetic force of attraction between them is harder to ignore. Now that they've been granted a moment of peace, it's harder to justify their restraint — And now that they've fallen so deeply in love, it's harder tostandit any longer.The intimacy between them continues to bloom, and the flowers prove to be breathtakingly beautiful.(This is an offshoot of a series of multi-chapter fics.Gladion and Sun have matured over the course of this series, and by the time this story begins, Sun is 18 years old and Gladion is 20 years old.Reading the rest of the series is not necessary if you just want to read some Gladisun smut).
Relationships: Gladio | Gladion/Sun
Series: Checkmate [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/789222
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20





	Till Our Hearts Beat as One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, because I feel I cannot stress this enough, **Gladion and Sun have not been magically aged-up.** They have grown and developed over the course of two years _after_ the end of Sun and Moon (No, the kids are not 10 or 11 in the games. To my knowledge, this rule about Pokémon journeys has never been canon to anything except the anime, and with the way Gladion and Lillie speak and act about the mature aspects of the games' story, I honestly don't see them as being anything less than 16 or 17 during them). Additionally, they act their ages in this story. For these reasons, it is my sincerest belief that this is responsible and harmless smut; however, preferring not to read it is perfectly valid.
> 
> Incidentally, I believe this is the only Gladisun smut in existence on the Archive at the moment (There were some others, but I think they've been deleted). I feel pressure to do this right now, especially since I've been working on this story since 2017! Well, either way, whether you're a reader of the series or you're just dropping in for this smut, I hope it's everything you want it to be. If you'd like to see the rest of Sun's birthday leading up to this, it's in Chapter Twenty-Five of _Hurricane._ I know this is more emotional than smutty, but I didn't think Sun and Gladion would really have a smutty first time with how I've characterized them thus far. It will become smuttier as we go on to reflect their growing comfort with thinking of their relationship in this way. Thanks for reading and, as always, comments and critique are always appreciated :D
> 
> (As I've stated in my notes before, since Nintendo consoles are canon in the Pokémon Universe, I generally assume that other famous Nintendo IPs are canon as well).

"This is _bullshit,"_ Gladion snorted, punching Sun lightly in the shoulder, warmth blooming under the champion's skin.

"No, you're just mad that you _still_ haven't figured out a good way to defend against my ultimate strategy," Sun countered, positioning Toon Link above Cloud and striking downward.

"Your _ultimate strategy_ is spamming Down-A, and I don't really appreciate it," Gladion muttered, grinning even as his character nearly flew off the stage.

"Look, if you're going to play as Cloud, I get to be bullshit, too," Sun argued, eying him sidelong.

"And just how is playing as Cloud bullshit?" Gladion questioned, his brow furrowing.

 _"Duh,_ because he's hot and it's distracting," Sun stated, heat rushing to his face.

"You're attracted to _Cloud Strife,"_ Gladion deadpanned, setting his controller down and turning to his partner.

"Yeah. He's blond and kinda emo...? And also kinda jacked?" Sun answered, shrugging as mock disappointment grew on Gladion's face.

 _"Damn,_ do you have a type," he chided, shaking his head. "I mean, aside from the whole _jacked_ part."

Sun's smile widened, his hands finding their way to Gladion's face. "Don't get jealous of _Cloud Strife._ One, he's a _fictional character,_ and two, there is literally, absolutely, 100 percent no one in the universe, real or imagined, who I could _possibly_ love more than I love you. So don't even worry."

Gladion's cheeks lit up. "Jesus, I was just kidding, and then here you are, getting all..."

"Fine!" Sun exclaimed, laughing as he drew his hands away and crossed his arms. "I'll just keep all my mushy romantic thoughts to myself, so they don't bother you."

"Well, maybe not _all_ of them," Gladion muttered, narrowing his eyes playfully.

"Gladion, I lack the time to compose poetry about you right now," Sun protested, a pompous accent sneaking into his words. "Toon Link has a blond emo twunk's ass to kick."

Gladion's eyes widened as a chuckle tumbled out of him. "Blond emo twunk? Oh, I'm gonna get you for that one," he promised, picking up his controller.

"Come on, Gladion, coming from me, that's a big compliment!" Sun assured him, a shit-eating grin spreading over his face.

"What — I thought _Cloud_ was the blond emo twunk you were talking about..."

The raven-haired boy shrugged. "I'll let you wonder."

"I don't have to _wonder._ I am by no means a _twunk._ I'm not even sure I could tell you what a _twunk_ is."

"Well, it's Cloud Strife, obviously," Sun replied, tossing a Bob-Omb.

Cloud rolled below it and smacked Toon Link off the stage in one clean hit.

"I probably deserved that," Sun conceded.

"And now you learn what happens to people who spam one attack — And flirt with a fictional character right in front of me while we're dating."

"I think what happens to them is that they just win, Gladion," muttered Sun, guiding Toon Link down from the revival platform. "Just you wait... You're gonna eat your words."

"I'd like to see you try to make that happen," threatened Gladion. "And I think I'll see you _fail."_

But after another minute or so, Cloud had been stamped into oblivion by another well-placed Down-A. The Announcer declared Toon Link the victor, and Sun was delighted to see Gladion's strained smile as the results appeared.

"You," he murmured, "are a spamming little bitch."

"And I also won," added Sun, knocking his head against Gladion's shoulder. "So, you know, whine all you want, but —"

He felt Gladion's grip close around his shoulder and pivot his body towards the blond boy's. He felt his heartbeat increase as Gladion's other hand flew to the side of his face. He felt hot breath tickle his skin as his partner leaned in.

Gladion hesitated for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, raising an eyebrow as he restrained himself. Sun smiled and nodded, leaning in as Gladion resumed his own advance.

Their lips met softly but certainly not hesitantly. Since Lillie and the adults had all done so much for Sun's birthday, this was the first time the couple had been alone today, and Sun didn't exactly have much patience left. It was his _birthday_ after all, and he wasn't about to let it go by without making out with Gladion.

But their embrace was gentle even despite this, punctuated by light pecks and shivers down his spine, every inch of his lips tingling under Gladion's hitching breath when they separated to refill their lungs.

"It never stops being amazing," Sun panted out.

"What?" asked Gladion.

"How _good_ at that you are," the champion provided, giggling.

"Well, it never stops being amazing how _annoying_ you are in Smash," Gladion retorted, his other hand coming up to comb through Sun's hair.

"How _good_ I am at it, you mean," he countered.

"Do I get to kiss you more tonight if I just give this to you?" Gladion asked.

"Yeah, I think that's a fair deal," Sun confirmed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Alright, then you're really great at Smash," Gladion surrendered, rolling his eyes.

"And don't you forget it," the younger boy replied, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to Gladion's lips.

"I won't. Do you want to play another round?" Gladion asked. "Just to prove how great you are at it?"

"Nah, I've had enough if you have. It's getting pretty late, anyway," he murmured, glancing out the rain-streaked window. _"Wow,_ what a storm..."

As if on cue, thunder crashed in the distance.

"I'm glad we didn't keep swimming," muttered Gladion.

"Yeah, I was sad that had to end, though. It was really amazing to be out there in the rain..."

Gladion smiled, cocking his head in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I know you were having a lot of fun out there."

"It's alright," Sun assured him, waving his hand. "We live in _Alola,_ for god's sake. I don't know why I'm acting like I won't ever get to go swimming in the rain again, especially considering we're going back, like, _literally_ in a couple days."

"Still, though," replied Gladion. "Sorry it had to get cut short on your birthday."

"Gladion, I had the most amazing, wonderful birthday I could have ever asked for," Sun assured him, placing a hand over his. "No thanks to you and Lillie. And I wouldn't change a thing about it. Besides, if the storm hadn't come, I might have made you two stay out there until sunrise, and then I wouldn't have gotten to come up here and kick your ass in Smash," he teased.

"You're really fixated on that, aren't you?" muttered the blond boy, snorting.

"Well, I'm also glad to have some alone time with you, obviously. And I've certainly enjoyed what else we've done since Lillie left," Sun purred as he turned Gladion's hand over and began gently rubbing his palm, his fingers just barely ghosting over the skin.

Sun was delighted to see red heat bloom on Gladion's face, delighted to know that the intimate moments they shared were still just as exciting to his partner over a year into their relationship.

"So you don't feel like you didn't get enough for your birthday?" asked Gladion, raising an eyebrow.

Sun's brow furrowed. "No, not at all... Why?"

"I don't know, I just... Felt like I didn't do enough," he muttered, turning away. "I mean, you know. Lillie's gifts were pretty damn amazing."

 _"Gladion,"_ Sun chided. "You went along a beach collecting sea glass. You had it polished for me. Trust me, what you gave me was nothing to frown at. You and Lillie both gave me wonderful gifts, and even if you hadn't, it wouldn't matter. Having you in my life is enough of a treasure, and it's one I get to experience almost every day."

Gladion smiled weakly, scarlet flashing across his cheeks. "You're too amazing. But — Well, I was mostly kidding... Well, not _kidding,_ but... It's more just that I want to say the real reason it doesn't feel like I did enough, but I know that it would be cheesy and nauseating coming out of anyone's mouth but yours."

"Oh, come on," Sun snorted. "After what I've said, you're at _zero_ risk. You can't possibly upstage me in cheesiness."

"Well, it's just..." Gladion began, swallowing loud enough to be heard. "You've given me so much. And — You've given so much to my sister and my mother, too — And I'm just not really sure that _anything_ I could give you would be enough."

Sun's heart fluttered as a tingling sensation crawled over his skin. "Gladion..." he breathed out, wrapping his arms around his partner and squeezing tightly. "I promise, just going on the adventure of life with me is enough. You make me so happy — Happier than I've ever been before. And that will _always_ be enough."

Gladion's arms moved to fence him in, his forehead landing on Sun's shoulder, his heartbeat sure and steady against the champion.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours as the Moon rose higher into the sky, coaxing the waves to follow, surging with the pulse of the storm. It was a beautiful moment, the sort of moment Sun had thought could only be found in a fairy tale — But his prince was real, right here in his arms, and that was something he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to.

Or maybe it was just that Sun really did live in a fairy tale — And when he honestly examined the events of his life since he mad moved to Alola, when he honestly examined both the perils he had faced and the love he'd fallen into along the way, he found that the idea seemed pretty damn plausible — And more than beautiful enough to justify the moisture pooling in his eyes.

"Hey," he finally murmured, remembering what he'd hoped to ask Gladion about before the sun rose and brought his birthday to a close. "Remember when I said I had another present for _your_ birthday? But that it had to wait a while?"

Gladion stiffened against him. "Sun," he mumbled against the champion's shoulders, "after you lectured me about why I shouldn't get you anything else, you tell me you have another present for _me?_ It's not even my birthday!"

Sun snorted despite his best efforts not to ruin a moment he took seriously. "I know that. But this is... Different. We've actually... I mean, this is a gift we'd already agreed upon."

Gladion leaned away from him immediately, his eyes soft. "The deal?" he asked.

Sun couldn't help himself and burst out laughing. "You're acting like you're on _Seinfeld,_ for fuck's sake. It's not this, like, _monolithic,_ carefully-negotiated treaty we've discussed twenty times. It's not something we've set any detailed terms to or anything."

"Yeah, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking about it lately," he admitted sheepishly.

Sun loved the way he averted his eyes and swallowed as the words left him, loved that Gladion wasn't the sort of person who would hunt him down and demand he hold up his end of the bargain, loved that Gladion had never taken him for granted. "And you shouldn't have to lie. It's okay. I've been looking forward to it for a long time, too. And... Especially now that we talked last night... I — I know you won't leave me. And I trust you. Which... In essence, that's what the deal was resting on. So... I want to do this for you."

"It's _your_ birthday," Gladion reminded him. "I should be doing something for you."

"Well, I don't want... Like, purely out of _obligation..."_ Sun stammered.

Gladion cocked his head, a gentle grin leaping onto his face. "Who said it'd just be obligation?" he asked, winking.

Sun's skin seemed to catch fire at that, his heart nearly stopping between beats as electricity shot through his nerves. "Well..." he attempted, his voice quavering as he attempted to slow down the wild, ecstatic train of thought that had started humming along in his head. "If... If you're _sure_ it wouldn't be..."

"Oh, it wouldn't, Sun," Gladion assured him, gently folding his fingers around the champion's hand.

"Then... Maybe we could just — You know, both benefit. And then... We can both feel like we gave a gift."

Crimson cascaded over Gladion's face. "If you'd be comfortable with that... I just thought you might... Feel shy about —"

"No," Sun interrupted, shaking his head. "I'd actually... Really rather this be a little embarrassing for both of us than just for me if I'm being honest. I know, that sounds a little selfish, but it's more just that... If we're doing something scary _together,_ it's... Less scary."

Gladion nodded emphatically. "Of course. But... Just to be clear, it would be more embarrassing for you if you were the only one... _Benefiting,_ to use your word? I would think..."

Sun shook his head again, shame bubbling up inside him. "No, I... Would rather you be — Involved. So I can more easily be sure... I'm not doing something wrong, or, or looking weird, or..." he trailed off, looking away from his boyfriend.

Gladion's hands slid up the sides of his torso and gripped his shoulders, grounding him. "Sun, if you want to do this, and that makes you feel more comfortable with this, then I'd be happy to do things that way. More than happy. But I don't want to do _anything_ if you'll feel uncomf—"

"I love you," Sun blurted, squeezing his eyes shut. "And I want this. I don't want you to worry about me. As long as we're... Careful, I'll be fine. I want you to enjoy this. I don't want you to be worried the entire time."

The blond boy nodded. "And I don't want _you_ to be worried the whole time. So just... I'll try to make sure we're in agreement before anything new happens, but if you change your mind about something, please, please tell me. I promise you, Sun, I won't be disappointed if we don't actually try anything new tonight. I promise you that. So do you promise to be honest about what you want and need?"

"I... I'll try," Sun managed. "I mean, yes, I promise I'll tell you to stop if I... Don't like something. And I want you to do the same, of course. But as for the _want_ part of things, I'm not sure... It'd be embarrassing for me to..."

"Sun, you are the most beautiful person in the whole world to me, and I want this to be... _Amazing_ for you. I understand if you don't feel confident enough to ask for what you want directly, and I won't be upset at all if I just have to ask and get a 'yes' or 'no.' But if you're _capable_ but just afraid... Throw caution to the wind. I know it's hard, which is why I won't be disappointed if it's too uncomfortable, but if you can... You're so beautiful, so fucking beautiful, and I — I want to know that this is good for you. I want to see and hear it because you _deserve_ everything you could possibly want. And if you can't, I understand, but..."

"It's okay," Sun assured him. "I get it. Enthusiastic consent... Dirty talk... I get it, it's hot. I'll try."

Gladion looked alarmed by his choice of words, his eyes widening. "Not — I don't expect anything crazy, and I don't want you to feel like you're just doing this for me —"

"No," Sun murmured, shaking his head and placing his hand on Gladion's knee. "I want the same from you. And I'm tired of feeling afraid. I'm tired of being... So, so afraid of this. I don't want to be afraid of this anymore, Gladion. Even with all my... _Complications_ surrounding this... Area of life, I want to charge boldly into it. Because if anyone can help me see it's not so scary, it's you. I know you'll try your best because you always do. So, then... I'll give it all I've got, too."

He did his best to flash his partner a winning smile — A _champion's_ smile. Gladion smiled back, his eyes shining with what Sun hoped was pride and love.

"Okay, Sun. Is there anything else you want to talk about first?" the blond boy asked.

"Just — One thing, actually," Sun muttered, a memory from easily a year and a half ago floating to the front of his mind, a memory that had been bothering him ever since then, lurking behind his every thought about the agreement he and Gladion had made. "I — I promise, it'll be quick."

"Take your time!" Gladion urged, shaking his head.

"Well... It won't make me _completely_ fearless, but I'll be a little less afraid to show what I'm feeling if we talk about something first. I guess I'm... Afraid to get lost in the intimacy of being with you in such a... _Vulnerable_ context because of... That one time on my mom's porch. Way — Way back before we were dating. And you kissed me, and I —" He couldn't bring himself to finish; the flaming fingers of guilt and shame had closed around his throat and choked him until he'd promised not to speak another word.

"Of course!" Gladion exclaimed, leaning toward him. "I've been wondering if you even still remembered that! I've... Wanted to apologize for how I handled it, but I didn't want to bring it up if you wouldn't even know what I was talking about," he admitted sheepishly, focusing his gaze on a point above Sun.

"How _you_ handled it?!" Sun cried. "I'm so ashamed that I reacted that way to a _kiss,_ Gladion...!"

"To be fair, I was practically necking you," Gladion reminded him, his tone gentle as he began caressing Sun's shoulders. "And besides, I... Knew what I was doing. I wanted more from you that night, I'm sure, even if only subconsciously. I'd liked you for _months,_ obviously. A year, even."

"But you... Reacted so... I mean, we didn't talk for _forever_ after that," Sun argued. "And we never really addressed it again."

"Well, do you want me to address it now so I get to apologize and you get to stop worrying?" When Sun nodded, he cleared his throat and began speaking, his eyes boring into Sun's with love so passionate the champion thought his own pupils would be singed beyond repair. "First of all, that was before we had... Open lines of communication. I... Was worried maybe you only wanted sex. And I liked you too much to be happy with that. So I reacted instinctively and left you there, and it was stupid and cruel and uncaring and selfish and _dumb..._ That's the first reason. But the other thing is that I didn't know how much you... Knew. And I'd learned a _lot_ from my time in Skull, but before that, when I was living with Lusamine, there weren't exactly... Outlets for me to — Figure out how..."

"Oh, oh, god, okay," Sun murmured, nodding. "Say no more. I _completely_ sympathize with that. To think, you thought you'd be out of your depth with _me..._ But I totally understand. Uncharted waters can be scary and exciting all at once."

"Right, and that's why I seemed to _go right for it,_ only to back out at the most awkward of moments," Gladion explained. "And I'm so sorry for the message that must have sent. For the shame that must have made you feel. But... Because of her, I struggled with my sexuality for so long, and I struggled to just _let myself have this_ and to let it be with you... Because I was so afraid I'd hurt you or you'd hurt me — Clearly, I didn't know you well enough. But I'm so sorry for that, Sun. I'm so sorry."

Sun's heart swelled, threatening to burst out of his ribcage. He wrapped his arms around Gladion, his hands combing through his boyfriend's blond hair.

"It's alright," he assured him.

"I wish I'd had the words to explain myself back then..." Gladion murmured against him.

"It's alright," Sun repeated. "I love you. All is forgiven. And now I'm... A little less afraid of making a mistake."

"Sun, if you're worried about... Coming unraveled," Gladion began, leaning back to look him in the eyes. "I love you. And what we have now is... Special enough to put that night to shame. With all the trust between us, I... Couldn't possibly judge you for a single thing you do. If you come unraveled, I don't want you to feel like you have to hide it. If it's just too embarrassing, I understand, like I said. But if you can let it happen... Do. Don't think I'll judge you. Don't think I'll shame you. Just... Do what feels natural, okay?"

The champion grinned widely. "Okay. Okay. I'll try my best."

"That's more than enough, Sun," Gladion assured him. "So... Are you, um, ready?"

Sun took Gladion's hand in his own and lifted it to his lips, pecking it gently and delighting in the way Gladion quivered. "Yes. I'm ready."

"I want you to set the terms," Gladion whispered, blinking. "I know it may be embarrassing, but I want to know you're comfortable."

Sun nodded. "Okay, um... Then... Maybe for tonight, we can only go as far as... As, like, you know... Well, with our hands. That's how I'll say that."

He loved and trusted Gladion more than any other human being on the planet, but he wanted to start with something manageable, something he'd experienced before — Albeit alone. He could work his way up to the rest. There would be time. For the two of them, there would be so much time, and Sun could feel it, could feel it thrumming deep inside his heart, could feel their future together stretching out within his soul, unwinding into a thousand as-of-yet-unknown scenes of love.

Gladion smiled. "Okay. That's fine. How do you want to do this?"

"Let's just... Do what we've done before," Sun forced out, his lips already not quite responding to his frazzled brain as he attempted to remain calm. "And then... Would you mind just... Naturally guiding us in that direction? And — And I give you full permission to do that. I _want_ you to do that."

Gladion's lips parted, his eyes darting across Sun's features. "You... Look a little uncomfortable. Believe me, I know this is annoying, but I just want to make sure... Like, are you _absolutely certain —"_

Sun shook his head, sighing deeply. "Gladion, I'm going to look a little _off_ the whole time. This is... A lot for me. But I want this so bad. I love that you're making sure at every turn, and it's okay to keep doing that — I — I mean, _do,_ do keep doing that! But, like, if I've already said I'm okay, then unless I say otherwise, I want to keep going, alright? Because... If I don't take this plunge now, I don't know if I ever will. I love you. I trust you. So I don't think I'll ever be any more ready than I am right now. This is going to be weird for me, and we just have to be prepared for that. But I want to keep going. I don't want to stop. I promise I'll tell you if I don't want to go any further, alright?"

Gladion swallowed, nodding slowly. "Okay. If you're sure, then I'll trust you."

The champion felt at least some of the tension leave his shoulders as a smile spread over his lips. "Thank you, Gladion," he whispered.

The blond boy nodded and leaned toward him, pressing his lips against Sun's grin. He was gentle again, but it wasn't a chaste sort of gentle. It was _teasingly_ gentle, so gentle that Sun could never acclimate to their embrace, so gentle that every peck sent an electric tingle buzzing through his lips, so gentle that every kiss felt like their very first. Every peck soon gave way to every nibble, but it was never once overwhelming; never once was it aggressive; never once did Gladion act without what felt like meticulous planning. It didn't seem to Sun that Gladion wanted to possess him, to make him lose himself, but rather to coax him to come along on equal footing, to invite him on an adventure that was both terrifying and elating, something that struck panic into Sun's heart but that he didn't want to wait on a moment longer — And there was no one he wanted to take this frightening and beautiful journey with more than Gladion.

When Gladion's tongue swept across his lips, he didn't even think before parting them. The heat within each of them was moving closer to a point of union, becoming harder and harder to distinguish as two separate pieces while Gladion's hands made their way up his torso and his own landed on the older boy's neck. Sun could hardly stand the almost-intimacy of it all, could hardly stand the gentle teases that made his entire body quiver, made his hands quake as he began to feel the burning tingle of need.

Gladion moved to lower his back onto the couch, but he stopped him, a hand landing on his shoulder. "Gladion," he panted out. "I — Can I ask you for something?"

"Anything," his partner replied, his warm breath earning a shudder from Sun.

"I want..." he attempted, shame pinching his shoulders as Gladion supported his weight.

"Please, Sun," Gladion urged, dragging a finger slowly over his lips and catching for a moment on the inside of the bottom. "Please tell me how I can make this good for you. I won't judge you. I promise."

Sun couldn't even control his breathing as the pad of Gladion's finger slid off his lip, a shocked yelp escaping him. "I — I don't want you to let me down gently. Not this time. I want to feel... Not _pain,_ but I want... The _thrill_ of..."

Gladion's mouth fell open slightly as he nodded. "I understand. If that's what you want..."

Sun nodded and sat up again to press his lips to Gladion's, but this kiss was more embarrassed than the rest, and Sun was all-too-eager to move on from his words. The weight of Gladion's palm settled on the champion's chest, and his fingers spread wide, pushing ever-so-gently against Sun, and he was sure it would happen soon, and —

He felt air rush past him as Gladion's other hand gripped his shoulder and pushed decisively, the pressure of the hand on his chest nearly hurting him but not quite, coming _just_ close enough. His partner had somehow known _exactly_ what he'd meant, exactly what he wanted, exactly what he _needed._ He relaxed against the plush cushion below him as Gladion pounced on him with renewed vigor, and even though he'd done this _for_ Sun, it didn't feel cheap, it didn't feel made-up, it didn't feel like a favor. It felt _real._

When Gladion pulled away, he nearly whined. "Sun, do you... Is that what you want tonight? That kind of thing?" he asked, his breaths coming out ragged.

To Sun's excitement, he almost seemed to be asking for _permission,_ his eyes glinting as he gasped in and out. "A little bit," Sun admitted, his voice coming out in a squeak. "I'm too... Shy. If you don't move things along, nothing will happen. But I _want_ that. I _want_ that, and I'm giving you the most complete consent possible," he assured him.

Gladion smiled weakly and nodded at him. "You're so beautiful, Sun."

And before Sun could even process what his boyfriend had said, he was on top of him again, his hands on his face as he kissed him more forcefully, but it was just as graceful, just as purposeful.

Gladion settled his weight overtop of Sun and — _Oh my god._

And he shouldn't have been shocked, not really, because they'd _done this before,_ and of course, he'd _expected it,_ and, but — But it was so different to know now that this was the intended destination, that this wasn't off-limits, that they wouldn't just laugh at their mutual embarrassment and then proceed to kiss and nibble and never journey further.

And — Not that Sun hadn't already surmised as much since he'd gotten closer to Gladion over the last year — But it really wasn't anything to scoff at.

 _That's from me,_ he thought, and the words echoed through his brain, shot across synapse after synapse as he allowed the weight of the realization to settle fully overtop of him just as Gladion had. It was so unlike him to assume something like that, to ever think he could do this, to ever think he could bring someone to this point, to ever think anyone would feel this way about him. But rationally, he knew it was true; _rationally,_ he knew it, he knew it because it was the only logical answer and because Gladion had made it clear with his words and his actions, and he knew Gladion felt the same mind-addling buzz he felt right now, all because of him, and it was so _dirty;_ it all seemed so _fucking dirty_ to him, but he knew it wasn't; he knew it _couldn't be_ because he knew that he loved Gladion more than anyone else in the world, knew that he wanted this _so bad,_ knew that he _needed_ this.

Gladion broke away, and _fuck it,_ Sun didn't almost whine this time. He whined, and his conscious mind yelled at every damn afterthought, every ounce of regret, every drop of shame. It sounded so dirty to him, but he didn't want to be afraid of that anymore. He _wanted_ it to sound dirty, and he was even surer that he wanted it when he saw the second layer of deeper, redder blush spread over the first on Gladion's face at the sound of it, the way his pupils drifted in opposite directions as his tongue darted out to lick his lips.

"Is this okay?" he asked, the tone of his voice similar to earlier, still concerned, still filled with love, but hungrier, bolder, rougher.

"Yes," Sun whispered, nodding emphatically. "It's — It's so good."

 _Gee, nice going, Whitman,_ Sun chided himself, but he reminded himself quickly afterward that it didn't matter, that _nothing_ mattered right now but this moment between them.

Gladion's eyes roved over him, bringing forth a shameful, guilty heat inside of his stomach. He squirmed slightly, his lip slipping under his teeth.

"Sun, it's alright," Gladion assured him, a hand landing on his abdomen, earning a sharp gasp from the champion. "If you don't want me to look at your body, I won't. But there's nothing to be worried about, I promise. I mean — If it makes you feel like you're in... Better company..." He trailed off, gesturing at his waist.

 _Dear fucking lord!_ Sun screamed in his head. The outline of Gladion against his jeans was clearer than Sun felt it had any right to be, and while he still didn't want to look down at what he was sure was a similar situation for himself, he felt at least a little more comfortable with Gladion seeing him this way. It seemed so wrong; all of it seemed so wrong, but Sun supposed that was _right,_ that as long as he didn't want to stop it _had to be right_. Because it wasn't bad wrong, it was — As much as he felt self-conscious thinking this — It was very, very _good_ wrong.

"Are you alright to keep going now?" asked Gladion, his finger landing on Sun's palm to trace the creases.

"Yes," Sun assured him. "I'm alright now."

Gladion nodded and placed his hands on Sun's shoulders, gripping them more tightly this time, and Sun hated how much he loved the feeling. He reminded himself that he shouldn't, though, that they'd been through so much together, that Gladion was just doing what he wanted, and that he shouldn't feel ashamed to enjoy himself. It would be a struggle to let all of his impulses run free after having felt for so long as though he had to bottle each and every one of them up, but he was going to try. He was going to give it his best shot, just like he'd promised.

Warmth flooded the area just above Sun's waistband as Gladion's fingers slipped under his shirt. He shivered against the blond boy, having been caught off-guard, prompting Gladion to hold him with greater force. It didn't feel restraining or restrictive; it felt welcoming, like Gladion was opening himself up to Sun's tremors, taking it as an opportunity to allow Sun deeper into his embrace, and Sun eagerly accepted. They were more aligned now, and Sun could feel himself brushing against Gladion in a way different than before. He involuntarily bucked his hips into Gladion, who recoiled in shock.

"I'm sorry, I didn't —" Sun began.

"I was surprised," Gladion panted. "Not opposed. If you're okay, so am I."

"I..." Sun weighed the options — And then he decided that he was an _idiot_ for weighing the options because he knew he wanted this, knew it more than he'd ever known anything else. All he could manage was a breathy "Yes," but it was all Gladion needed to understand him.

Their lips met again, and this time each gave experimental leaps into what little remained of the other's personal space. At one point, Sun's hands flew to Gladion's waist on impulse and held his boyfriend steady against himself, trying to signal that he wanted or perhaps needed more, that this was too much and too little, that he couldn't go on like this. Gladion responded and ground down against him, and Sun followed, and of course, it wouldn't have been a very practical method in the long run, but for this moment, it felt like an ascension to heaven.

"Can I?" Gladion asked, reminding Sun of the position of his fingers under his shirt.

"If you're close behind," Sun breathed out.

Gladion helped him slip his shirt over his head and grinned as he ran his hands over his form, gentle and hesitant, always watching his face for a sign of discomfort. "I remember how hard this used to be for you. You've come so far. I'm so proud of you," he murmured, pressing his lips to Sun's collarbone.

A groan tumbled out of Sun's lips, fire blazing on his face as Gladion's eyes met his. The blond boy brought his head toward Sun's ear and began to whisper into it, his hot breath ghosting over the champion's skin.

"It's okay to be nervous, but you don't have to be," he reminded him. "I promise you, I _want_ to see all of this. I _want_ to hear all of this. I won't be laughing at you later. I won't think less of you. You'll just be even more beautiful."

_God damn it, he's right. I can't ruin this for myself. I deserve this. After waiting so long to make sure I could trust him, after being so careful... I deserve to let go. I deserve to feel sexy._

So he let himself moan as Gladion's lips closed around his earlobe, and _good lord,_ he wouldn't have thought it would have felt good, but it sent enough voltage roaring through his nerves that he thought it'd kill him.

"You sound so beautiful," Gladion assured him, pecking at his neck.

"You're stalling, Cloud," Sun growled, not sure he'd consciously decided to adopt such a tone as he grabbed a fistful of Gladion's shirt.

"The fuck did you just call me?" Gladion asked, snorting.

"I said you could take my shirt off _if you were close behind,"_ Sun chided, barely able to keep from giggling. "So now I'm trying to make you uncomfortable because I don't like liars."

"Maybe I was just trying to up the anticipation," Gladion countered, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Did you ever think of that, beautiful?"

Sun didn't really like pet names, and he was glad he and Gladion didn't use them in regular contexts, but _damn_ if hearing that right at this moment didn't rouse an even stronger hunger inside him. It was so unlike Gladion to say it, and so unlike Sun to like it, but it felt so natural, so rhythmically accurate after everything else they'd said and done.

Gladion yanked his shirt up over his head and threw it across the room somewhere — _And why is that on its own hot?! —_ And Sun was able to see Gladion's upper body, the subtle yet tight muscles earned from his years as Skull's enforcer, the way he broadened towards his shoulders, the patches of blond hair under his arms and just above his waistband. He'd seen this all before, but he never stopped being amazed by it, how _functional_ Gladion's body was, how it was not excessively defined because Gladion spent hours lifting weights to become eye candy but was instead defined in an understated manner because of the life Gladion had led thus far.

"You seem pleased," Gladion teased, his hands landing on his hips.

"Shut up," Sun hissed, grinning but wasting no time, rising to press their torsos together as he kissed him, the heat between them finally melding together, so much skin on so much skin, so many inches of contact, so many places where he couldn't tell what belonged to him and what belonged to Gladion.

There was so much more to do, but this in itself was so lovely, so beautiful, so electrifying that Sun wasn't sure how he'd ever tear himself away from it. His hands landed on Gladion's biceps, and his on Sun's, which caused the muscles to push against Sun's hands, reminding him that they were here, reminding him that they were once for more than show. Gladion was no bodybuilder — In fact, Sun would have even gone as far as to say that he appeared pretty damn twinkish — But Sun had gotten close enough to know that he was more than he appeared, and that was enough for him. He didn't need the whole world to know. And it wasn't just about his strength being obvious or not obvious. Even in terms of what he was capable of, Gladion was no Cloud, far from it. That much was obvious. But Sun didn't really _want_ him to be Cloud. Gladion was Gladion, and Sun _loved_ Gladion, loved every inch of him, and Sun wanted _only_ Gladion.

Besides, he loved the contrast. He loved that Gladion looked so tall and lanky and unsuspecting but had actually been a gang's hired muscle. He loved that so few people knew. He loved that he and Gladion had their own little secret, something Sun knew was beneath Gladion's hoodie, hiding away in the bottom of his heart.

"Do you... Want to go where we planned now?" Gladion asked, drawing away to catch his breath.

"Yes," murmured Sun, nodding. "I just... This is new for me, so I'll have to... Figure out how I'm going to..."

"We don't have to keep this up, Sun. This atmosphere, I mean," Gladion told him. "We can slow down. We can take our time with this. I won't be disappointed or feel like the momentum's gone or anything. We can take time if you need time. You don't have to, like, _sexily strip_ or something. I'd rather it be a little awkward than make you uncomfortable — And it won't even be awkward for me if it isn't for you," he assured him, smiling.

Sun breathed deeply. "Okay, thank you. I'm really... That really helps take the, um, pressure off, actually. So, um, thanks."

"No problem," said Gladion.

"Do you think — Do you think I could... You first?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Of course!" Gladion exclaimed. "That's completely fine."

Sun nodded, swallowing. "Is — Are you — Can I...?"

Gladion's palm came to rest on the side of Sun's face. "I'm ready whenever you are, and not a moment before."

Sun mustered a small smile and laid a hand on Gladion's shoulder, guiding him to lay back and moving over him. His hand landed on Gladion's thigh and he met the blond boy's sparkling emerald eyes, waiting for a nod before he proceeded. He ghosted over the fabric, unable to believe that he would actually touch the outline he saw, the pieces of themselves they'd agreed to set aside until they trusted one another with their lives. But they did now, and Sun wanted to show Gladion how deep that trust ran.

Sun let out a sigh as his fingers brushed over him, Gladion jolting beneath him. He looked up to watch his partner's face, but Gladion just nodded again, and Sun nodded back, bringing more of his hand along with him. Gladion shook again, but this time he seemed more prepared, more welcoming, so Sun continued, moving the heel of his hand over the hardness beneath the denim, his own body quivering under the pressure to get this right.

"Relax," Gladion commanded, his voice sounding tenser than Sun had heard it yet that night. "You're doing great."

"No fair, I was trying to _hide_ my nervousness that time," Sun mock-pouted.

"...Clenched shoulders are a dead give—"

Sun moved lower, applying pressure beneath where the outline rested, his thumb pressing against something softer. Gladion cut off midsentence, gasping and recoiling from Sun's hands as if from fire.

"Sorry, was that —" Sun began.

"It was amazing," Gladion groaned.

Sun snorted, winking at him, feeling more and more confident now that the attention wasn't on his own pleasure. He continued to rub over the outline of Gladion for a minute or so, delighting in the hitches of his boyfriend's breath, before wrapping a thumb and a forefinger around both sides of the waistband.

"Can... Can I go on?" the champion asked.

 _"Please,"_ Gladion hissed.

Sun smiled as he complied, dragging Gladion's zipper down, nearly fainting at the sight of his button popping free the moment he lined it up with its hole, the sides of his fly leaping apart. It was _beautiful,_ but he also couldn't help the small giggle that escaped him.

"Hey, shut — Aaah!" Gladion exclaimed as Sun's thumb brushed over his underwear.

"God, you'll never get to finish a sentence again," Sun laughed.

"It's fine. You usually do enough talking for both of us, anyway," his partner teased, grinning up at him.

 _"Oi,"_ muttered Sun, leaning toward him. "I _could_ just stand here and wait till it goes away."

"Point taken," Gladion conceded, nodding. "And by that I mean —"

"I know, I know," Sun replied, grinning cheekily. "Don't worry, I couldn't stand it any more than you could."

He helped Gladion shuffle out of his pants, setting them down next to the couch and running his hands over the blond boy's thighs, edging closer to what was now a much clearer outline. He moved with the heel of his hand once more, rubbing up and down over the length, delighting in the way Gladion pressed up against him, the way his eyes rolled back into his head. He seemed to grow stiffer still, and even though Sun knew that wasn't quite realistic, he still liked the thought. Gladion was groaning beneath him now, straining to create more friction along the heel of Sun's hand, and Sun was more than willing to provide, grinding down with more pressure. Gladion's breaths came out more ragged now, especially when Sun's other hand landed below the bulge, earning an eager shudder.

"Are you alright to keep going?" he asked.

"Yes. Definitely," he answered, his eyes focused somewhere behind Sun, his pupils blown out with need.

He gingerly pulled Gladion's underwear off of him. It got caught on the way down, and when Gladion was finally free from it, his length sprang back against him. Sun's stomach flipped over, a shaky sigh escaping him.

"Just because I'm more comfortable with this than you, doesn't mean I'm not self-conscious _at all,"_ Gladion managed, snorting as scarlet marched up his face.

"Right — Sorry," Sun muttered.

He trailed his hand up Gladion's thigh, his finger tracing over the shaft as the blond boy shivered beneath him. He relaxed his hand, finding that it felt almost natural to wrap his hand around this pulsating warmth. Gladion's eyes bugged out, but he nodded as soon as Sun even glanced up from his body, giving the champion no time to doubt his course of action. He began to stroke his partner, his thumb and forefinger resting at the top of Gladion's sheath, his grip loose at first.

When Gladion's breaths became even more ragged, he increased his pace and pressure, but he was stopped by a firm hand on his forearm.

"Sorry, is this —" Sun began.

"Sun, it's wonderful," he gasped. "And it's so wonderful, and we drew this out with so much anticipation, and it's _too_ wonderful," he stammered.

"Oh, I see," Sun smirked.

"Yeah," Gladion muttered, snorting. "You didn't have to grin like a jackass."

"I'm not teasing you!" he assured him. "I just... I'm glad I'm doing a good job."

"Sun, you're doing _amazing._ I just..."

"Yeah, I understand," he replied, nodding emphatically. "Alright. Um... Well, I — I can just... I don't _need_ to..."

"If you're uncomfortable, we don't have to," Gladion murmured, moving his hand down to rest on Sun's still-clothed knee.

"No," Sun insisted, shaking his head. "Now that I think about it, if I... Don't do this with you now, I'll let this become the norm, and in five months, I won't have moved forward at all."

"If you're certain you're alright, I'd really like to do this for you," said the blond boy, rubbing circles on his knee.

"Alright... Do you want me to just — How should I —" Sun struggled.

"Here, just sit next to me," Gladion murmured, rising to sit against the back of the couch. "I'll take care of everything. Would you mind taking your pants off first?"

Sun shuffled out of them and set them on the floor, sitting on the edge of the couch.

"I want you to be comfortable, so just sit with your back against the cushion, please. I won't move any further than we've been until I know you're okay with it, alright?"

Sun hesitantly scooted backward, relaxing when Gladion's bare arm wrapped around him, pulling him closer. "Don't worry, I won't do anything else until you're more comfortable," he assured him.

"I... Don't know that I _will_ get more comfortable until we get going," Sun muttered. "Maybe you'd better just start."

"Are you absolutely sure you want me to?" he asked.

"Yes," Sun assured him. "Go right ahead. Please."

Gladion nodded, his hand wrapping over the top of Sun's thigh. The champion's breath hitched even just at that, tingling heat rushing from the point of contact elsewhere.

"Don't stop," Sun sputtered, immediately flushing.

"Don't be ashamed if you can help it, Sun," Gladion murmured, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I'm telling you, you showing off how much you enjoy this won't make me judge you. If anything, it will just... Make this more exciting for me."

Sun nodded, and Gladion moved farther inward, the edges of his fingertips brushing against a tender area and earning a spasm from the champion. Again, Sun nodded; again, Gladion moved. Gladion stopped suddenly just where Sun had feared he would, recoiling slightly.

Shuffling away from Gladion, the champion attempted to cover himself in horror, but a steady hand on his shoulder kept him grounded.

"I'm — I'm sorry, just — I'll just —" he sputtered.

"Sun, you don't need to apologize," Gladion murmured, his voice tighter than it had been a moment ago. "That's... I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but since you're clearly embarrassed, allow me to _assure_ you... That is _really_ fucking hot."

The champion nearly fainted, his face itching all over as blood rushed to his cheeks. "Yeah...?" he asked, sliding back to Gladion's side.

"Definitely," the blond boy assured him. "Can I... Go back?"

The raven-haired boy nodded, and Gladion's hand went almost immediately for the same darkened, cold patch of fabric. "Fuck's _sake..."_ he murmured. "Sorry! It's just — Wow."

"I know," Sun whined, distress still flooding his veins. "I don't know why, but I've always..."

"I'm telling you right now, it's nothing but a good thing," Gladion assured him. "You should take pride in that, _wow."_

"Are you sure it doesn't make me seem, like, slutty?" Sun asked, his tone wilting. "Because I've always felt like it..."

"It makes you seem _beautiful,"_ Gladion declared, shaking his head. "Is that better? It's... I'm being honest, it's... _Really_ sexy."

Sun felt the corners of his lips jerk slightly upward. "Okay. If you like it."

"I — I definitely do," Gladion muttered, snorting. "Do you — Mind if I?" he murmured, his thumb hooking under the champion's waistband.

His breath hitched, but he nodded decisively. He didn't want Gladion to doubt that he wanted this for even one second.

"Get the reveal over with quick," he instructed, smiling weakly. "Please."

"Of course," replied Gladion.

Before Sun could process what was happening, his underwear was bunched around his knees and Gladion was gaping at him.

The blond boy shook his head. "Don't assume there's something wrong because I'm shocked," he warned preemptively. "There are only things _right_ with this. A _million_ things."

Sun wriggled out of the fabric the rest of the way, nodding encouragingly at him. Gladion nodded back, moving to cup his hand around Sun just as Sun had done. The champion jolted, his hand landing instinctively on Gladion's to urge his partner to proceed.

 _"I'm fine, don't stop,"_ he growled.

Gladion's lips parted, rose rushing to his cheeks. "I... Don't hear that voice very often."

"I'm sure it can be — Coax... Coaxed out," Sun struggled, his breaths ragged as he throbbed inside Gladion's grip, his hips inching back and forth involuntarily as he struggled for friction.

Gladion provided as soon as his desire was clear, stroking slowly up and down. Sun couldn't see straight anymore, and everything was blurred out of existence except Gladion's face, his emerald eyes and his panting mouth as his hand rose and fell around Sun.

He stopped, breathing out a ragged sigh as Sun felt a wave of pleasure roll through him. He was looking intently at Sun, hunger in his eyes.

"Sorry, did I, uh —" Sun struggled, peering over Gladion's hand to see what he had suspected. "I can go... Get a tissue, or something, if you don't want to touch —"

"I want _you,"_ Gladion whispered, licking his lips. "Trust me, Sun, this is not something to be ashamed of. This is beautiful."

Without hesitation, Gladion began to pump his fist up and down once more, but within a few strokes, it all began to come easier, Gladion's hand began to slide over Sun more readily, and Sun found it harder and harder to bite back his moans. Wanting something else to focus on, he let his hand drift under Gladion's arm toward his lap, closing around his warmth once again. The blond boy froze in his task, shuddering before he resumed. Sun felt something wet and slick against his own fingers now, and although he was embarrassed to be this far ahead in his own arousal, he was glad his partner had finally caught up.

Gladion moved his other hand to rest below Sun's shaft, cupping him and prodding gently with his thumb, earning a desperate whine that spilled readily over Sun's lips. He was done feeling ashamed now. This felt so right to him, so natural, and he wasn't about to let his doubts ruin it for him.

He moved his hand off of Gladion, running it across the cushion of hair before clutching the same soft region. Gladion groaned unevenly, his voice breaking as Sun moved to resume pumping his length. Gladion's own hand was moving faster and more erratically now, Sun's sheath running over his head at a rate he couldn't keep track of.

"Gladion," he rasped. "Don't slow down, but — _Tighter,"_ he managed, the last syllable morphing into a gasp as Gladion complied.

They had turned their heads towards one another at some point, their eyes locked as their wrists jerked upwards and back down. Sun could feel his heartbeat under seemingly every inch of his skin, could feel the pulse between his legs and in his hand, and where Gladion's other wrist rested against the top of his leg, he could have sworn he felt Gladion's pulse, just beneath his, almost exactly aligned and coming closer with every gasp and shudder and whimper. He didn't care if he was just imagining things. He wanted their hearts to beat as one, he wanted them to come closer than they'd ever been before, wanted them to for one glorious moment become something united, something inseparable, something whole.

"Sun, I'm gonna —" Gladion stammered, his lips shiny with saliva.

"Me — Too," Sun sputtered, clenching his eyes shut. "I — I love you, Gladion."

"Fu-ck!" Gladion growled, bucking his hips into the embrace of Sun's hand as his eyelids dropped, his chest tightening as he grit his teeth, scarlet sweeping over him from the neck up.

Seeing Gladion unravel before him, the feeling of him pulsing against his grip, straining against him, cut something loose within Sun, made an orb of white-hot pleasure split open inside him. His skin seemed to burst into flames, a helpless, ragged moan spilling forth from his lips as electricity shot through his body, his hips jerking wildly as his muscles clenched erratically. He tried as best as he could to control this manic energy, to direct it into action, to buck up into Gladion's grip as the tremors of ecstasy shot through him, but his attempts were lackluster, uncoordinated, sloppy. The pressure that had been building since they'd begun finally cannoned free, powerful twitches between his legs and wild thrusts of his hips guiding him to explosions of euphoria, each coordinated with a clenching deep within him, a rhythmic yet wild spasm of tissue, a fiery shot of bliss splattering across his chest as he gasped for air, soft, unintelligible murmurs of pleasure breaking out of the top of his vocal register.

When he came down, he came crashing down, and for a long time he was aware of nothing at all.

The room came back to him slowly, sensory details attempting to cross synapses that had become like chasms now that the tightly-wound knot inside of him had come undone. It was like waking from a coma; there was no clear moment at which he was not aware and then one at which he suddenly was, there was merely a moment at which he realized that he _had_ been aware, that he _had_ reentered the present, though he could not say when, could not say how. Every visual perception was grainy and shifting, like a mosaic or a spinning kaleidoscope. The couch on which he sat was just as blurry as the wall on the other side of the room, static seeming to buzz in front of his eyes no matter where he looked. He could hear his own breathing now, ragged and shuddering and punctuated by the occasional moan of exhaustion. He then became aware of Gladion's hand, draped limply over his thigh, warm and wet. Gladion was gasping beside him too, Gladion's eyelids were frozen halfway between open and closed too, Gladion was staring off into nothingness with his lips parted too. They had both come completely undone, had both fallen apart — But Sun was only glad. For a moment, he'd glimpsed heaven. For a moment, he would have sworn their hearts beat as one.

"Fucking..." Gladion groaned, his head lolling back. "You were so fucking amazing..." he whispered.

"I can't even _tell_ you how good that felt," Sun stammered, struggling to find the right words for his partner, for once at a loss.

Gladion rose on shaking legs, opening the door to the bathroom and reaching around the corner. He sat back down with a box of tissues in his hand and moved to wipe Sun's torso with one, but Sun was too distracted by the hot shame that surged through his veins as Gladion cleaned him up to really appreciate the gesture.

"Happy birthday," Gladion whispered.

"Thanks, you too... _Late,_ obviously..." Sun managed to force out, but he found his throat too dry to say much more.

He wanted to remain relaxed, but his hindbrain was trying to coax him to clench again, to stress again, to bottle himself up again. But he wasn't about to give in to that. He loved that Gladion wanted to save him from those anxieties, but he hated the thought that he couldn't defeat them on his own, so he faced down against them within his own mind and reminded them that they weren't welcome, that they had to leave, that he had no patience for them. He'd had an orgasm — Big deal! He was tired of mincing words, tired of trying to ignore the embarrassing parts when those were the most pleasurable aspects of it all — In sex and in life. He was tired of holding himself to standards he never would have placed upon others. He'd had _sex,_ like any normal, interested-in-sex adult — A term which didn't quite feel right in any sense except the legal, a term which he didn't think he'd connect with even on the day he died — Would. He'd had sex, with his boyfriend, his boyfriend whom he loved, and he'd had an orgasm, _climaxed,_ and fuck the fact that he felt ashamed to think of it with that word, and it had felt _amazing,_ and he'd _ascended to heaven_ for a moment, had become one with his partner, had, as they say, slipped the surly bonds of Earth for just a fleeting, beautiful moment, all in the careful hands of someone he loved more than anyone else in the world, who'd been with him on adventure after adventure and would be with him on so many more, and _of course_ it felt good, _of course_ he liked it, _of course_ he was going to shudder and moan and whimper and cry out, and while he knew he wouldn't defeat his inner-demons after just one night, he was determined to take a stand, to make a start, to begin the long battle against them. Because even if his subconscious anxiety, like a splinter that just won't come out, would fight him on this, he at least knew that it was ridiculous, that he had no cause for shame, none at all.

He should have felt only love, and he knew it. So he focused on only the love he most certainly felt, and he shut out as much of his doubts as he could. He had better things to do than worry about them. It would be difficult, it would test him, but he wasn't about to give up.

"Sorry, I know this isn't exactly romantic," Gladion muttered, jarring him from his thoughts as he moved to clean his own body. "If you ever want to try this again, I... Might have a more fun idea for this."

Sun's already-scrambled mind imploded, his cheeks tingling. "Oh _god."_

"If you don't —" Gladion began, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"No, no," Sun assured him, barely able to shake his head. "It's just... God, that's just... Really fucking dirty to think about."

"Too much?" Gladion asked.

"No!" Sun exclaimed, clearing his throat. "I mean, uh..."

Gladion snorted. "I'm glad to hear it."

"No, it's just... Weird to think of us in the context now," Sun explained, his eyes flitting to the side. "Not that it's bad! I... Obviously... Look, I don't know if I made it clear enough, but I... That was — That was so amazing, Gladion. Nothing could have made it better. But it's definitely different. I'll need to... Get used to it. And, since you're apparently interested, I'd _love_ to, uh... Try again sometime, like you said."

Gladion smiled at him, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips. It was almost too much after everything else, almost too much for Sun's poor little heart to be reminded that Gladion wasn't going to leave him now that they'd done this, that Gladion was staying, that Gladion _loved_ him.

"I'm really glad you had a good time, then," the blond boy murmured.

"Was... Was it — Did you?" Sun struggled.

In response, Gladion touched his lips to Sun's neck, swiping a gentle tongue over the skin and urging forth a shudder from deep within Sun. "It was _fucking_ unbelievable, Sun. And I can't wait to try more. Thank you for giving this a shot..."

"Thank you for making it so magical," Sun answered. "Thank you for making me feel so... Listened to. And cared about."

Gladion smiled. "I love you, Sun," he murmured, as if that explained it all.

And Sun supposed it did.

"I love you too."

They drifted to sleep in one another's arms that night, the rain drumming against the window, streaking down the glass in a leisurely manner, sharply contrasting the storm each droplet had come from.

Amidst the Hurricane, Sun had Gladion, and Gladion had Sun.

And as they held each other close, as Gladion's hot breath tickled his bare skin, finally naked in all senses of the word after the beginning of his journey three years ago, Sun felt that they slotted together when they touched now, that they didn't merely stop at contact but moved into a realm of spiritual union, a state in which their hearts beat as one, a state in which neither could tell where one ended and the other began.

So the Hurricane raged on outside, and Gladion and Sun held one another, safe and warm and in love, and all was well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed :) Let me know if you'd like to see them continue to explore the sexual aspect of their relationship. If I'm being honest, though, I can't help myself — Even if no one ever reads this, I'm still going to end up writing more lol.
> 
> These moments of exploration will likely continue to lie sandwiched between major plot points in the main story, just as an FYI.


End file.
